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Film chronicles stories of a changing Seabreeze

Luther McQuillan (left), 90, and Joe Farrow Jr., 84, have been fishing Myrtle Grove Sound near Seabreeze since the 1930s. Their stories are told in the documentary 'A Sense of Place.'
Photo courtesy of Rhonda Bellamy

Published: Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

When Joe Farrow Jr. and Luther Hardis McQuillan first started fishing the Intracoastal Waterway at Myrtle Grove Sound as children in the 1930s, Seabreeze was bustling with tourists and the black resort town was known for its clam fritters and juke joints.

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What: Premiere of “A Sense of Place,” a documentary by Rhonda Bellamy. Screening followed by a panel discussion and dessert. Presented by the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher.When: 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 17Where: 900 Loggerhead Road, Kure BeachTickets: $15, may be reserved in advance or purchased at the door. Details: 458-7468 or www.NCAquariums.com

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In those days, the men – now 84 and 90, respectively – would fish with family members and sell their catch of mullet, speckled trout and flounder to one of the restaurants in the little community north of Carolina Beach, or to fish markets in Wilmington. Their wooden boats didn't have motors and were often homemade.

Today, Seabreeze is much quieter and the fishermen's boats are fiberglass, but the thrill of the catch still lures commercial fishermen Farrow and McQuillan and others, like retired school principal Arthalia Williams, to the sea.

Their stories, and others from those who take to the water for solace and sustenance, were the inspiration for a documentary by journalist, filmmaker and Arts Council of Wilmington director Rhonda Bellamy.

“A Sense of Place,” which explores local coastal history from the unique perspective of area black fishermen and women, will premiere Friday night at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

Through a series of interviews and photographs, Bellamy and photographer John Davis chronicle a changing coastal culture with ties to the once-thriving black resort community. As the tightly knit compound of fishermen continues to shrink and development swallows up nearby areas, preserving fishing culture has become crucial, she said.

“As a coastal community, it is so important that we capture this rich history,” Bellamy said. “Many African-Americans, particularly those from Seabreeze, were just a stone's throw away from the sound and the ocean.”

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Bellamy and five people who appear in the documentary.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, the DREAMS Center for Arts Education, a Wilmington nonprofit that provides area youth with free arts classes, will host a community arts day. The event will feature excerpts from “A Sense of Place” and an array of aquatic-themed art created by DREAMS artists.

<p>When Joe Farrow Jr. and Luther Hardis McQuillan first started fishing the Intracoastal Waterway at Myrtle Grove Sound as children in the 1930s, Seabreeze was bustling with tourists and the black resort town was known for its clam fritters and juke joints.</p><p>In those days, the men – now 84 and 90, respectively – would fish with family members and sell their catch of mullet, speckled trout and flounder to one of the restaurants in the little community north of Carolina Beach, or to fish markets in Wilmington. Their wooden boats didn't have motors and were often homemade.</p><p>Today, Seabreeze is much quieter and the fishermen's boats are fiberglass, but the thrill of the catch still lures commercial fishermen Farrow and McQuillan and others, like retired school principal Arthalia Williams, to the sea.</p><p>Their stories, and others from those who take to the water for solace and sustenance, were the inspiration for a documentary by journalist, filmmaker and Arts Council of Wilmington director Rhonda Bellamy. </p><p>“A Sense of Place,” which explores local coastal history from the unique perspective of area black fishermen and women, will premiere Friday night at the <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic13"><b>N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher</b></a>.</p><p>Through a series of interviews and photographs, Bellamy and photographer John Davis chronicle a changing coastal culture with ties to the once-thriving black resort community. As the tightly knit compound of fishermen continues to shrink and development swallows up nearby areas, preserving fishing culture has become crucial, she said. </p><p>“As a coastal community, it is so important that we capture this rich history,” Bellamy said. “Many African-Americans, particularly those from Seabreeze, were just a stone's throw away from the sound and the ocean.”</p><p>The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Bellamy and five people who appear in the documentary.</p><p>From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, the DREAMS Center for Arts Education, a Wilmington nonprofit that provides area youth with free arts classes, will host a community arts day. The event will feature excerpts from “A Sense of Place” and an array of aquatic-themed art created by DREAMS artists.</p><p><i></p><p>Cassie Foss: 343-2365</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @WilmOnFilm</i></p>